This is a developing story. Updates will be released as made available.
Update #1 (12:25 p.m.): Newton County Schools has released a statement on the fire that took place at East Newton Elementary last night:
On Sunday, July 6, 2025, at approximately 11:03 p.m., Newton County 911 alerted school district officials of a fire at East Newton Elementary School. The Newton County Fire Department responded promptly to the scene. The fire involved construction materials on the roof of the building, which is currently undergoing major renovations. Fortunately, the fire was contained, and no injuries were reported.
Today, crews are on-site working to clean up the area and conduct a full damage assessment. We will share additional updates as more information becomes available.
An official source of the fire has not been released by Newton County Fire Services.
Original Story Below
NEWTON COUNTY — An overnight blaze at East Newton Elementary School reportedly left the building damaged, but thankfully resulted in no injuries.
According to Kerrin Daniel, administrative specialist at Newton County Fire Services (NCFS), fire services were dispatched at approximately 10:55 p.m. on Sunday evening. The scene was cleared hours later, at approximately 2:11 a.m.
An investigation is still underway, and a fire report is not yet complete, according to NCFS. However, preliminary findings indicate that the fire was near the cafeteria, on the roof.
“The fire was on the roof of the cafeteria side of the building and firefighters were able to keep it from breaching the inside of the building however there is smoke and water damage,” Scheree Howard, executive administrative coordinator at NCFS, told The Covington News.
Investigators have not released a cause for the fire yet.
East Newton Elementary is located at 2286 Dixie Rd. and serves approximately 600 students. The school has been under renovation since May. According to the Newton County Schools webpage, the numerous facility enhancements include upgrades to the fire alarm system as well as installation of fire sprinklers. It is unclear if the ongoing construction played any role in the fire.
The News has reached out to Newton County Schools for comment and is awaiting an official statement.
